Coupling draw-bar pocket for locomotive-engines and the like.



C. T. WBSTLAKB. GOUPLING 'DRAW' BAR POCKET FOR LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND THB LIKE.

APPLIUATON PILE!) JAN. 29, 1909.

Patented July 27, 1909.

CHARLES 'I'. WESTLAKEQOF sr.

Louis, MISSOURI', AssIGNOa'TO CLARE-Non H. HOWARD, or

, sr. pouls, MISSOURI.

ooUrLne nnswqan roma: ron, LocoMo'rIvE-Enomns Num im.

N'o. osmose.

4 Bpecication el.' Letters Patent. p

Lppilcatio filed .'lanm'n'y 29, 1900. Serial No. 474,909.

To allwhoahr may concern:

Be it lmownthat I CHARLES T. WEST- LAKE, a citlzen of thellnited States, residing "at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Coupler Draw-Bar Pockets for Locomotive- Engines and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the coupler drawbar pocket of a locomotive engine frame, also applicable to a railroad car or other vehicle frame. I l v Ordinar-il the coupler draw-bar pocket 1s fixed to t e front side of the engine pilotbeam by bolts inserted horizontally or transversely through the rear fiange or member of the pocket and through the front wall of the beam,'whe'reby, in .the operation of the drawbar and conse nent downward stress on the pocket, the bo ts are liable to become loosened and so cause the p`ocket to be tilted outward at the top or fall away from its proper bearing against the beam.` My invention has for its object to .overcome this defect and consists in features of novelty as hereinafter-'described and claimed,

Figure 1, 1s a top plan view of 'my im-` proved coupler draw-bar pocket applied to the pilot-beam of a locomotive en ine; Fig.

l' 2, a vertical .longitudinal sectiont ereof on line -3 in Fig. 1 showi I lot-1 line 2, 2, in Fi 1;-Fig. 3, a vertical trans` verse section t rough the coupler-shank on the pocket and earn in front elemiddle portion of the p1 vation, and Fig. 4, a view corresponding to Fig. 1, of the pocket (broken away), showing the. application thereto of side centering springs for the coupler-shank.

Like letters and numerals of reference denote like parts in all the figures.

Refe'ring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a represents the middle portion of a locomotive engine pilot-beam composed preferably, of-cast steel and box-shaped in cross section, and b the coupler draw-bar pocket to be attached thereto, the pocket b in the present case be il?? preferably closed at its inner end and apted to receive the buiiinglf spring 1, followerplate 2, and coupler-shank 3, which is slotted longitudinall and pivoted horizontala to the walls o the pocket b 'by the verti y arranged pin 4. Or the couplershank 3 my be pivqiea to the ,potra b Withollt the spring and follower as the case mty i,

n carrying out my invention the rear flange or vertical'rncmber 5 of the ocket b which is adapted to bear against t e `front side of the beam a and secured thereto by the horizontal bolts 5 is formed vat the to with 'a rearwardly projecting horizontal p ate 6 which is adapted to extend across and bearl upon the top of the beam a to 'which it is fixed by bolts? passed vertically, preferably, thrc'u h bosses 8 formed therefor on the plate 6, an through the beam a as shown, the pocket b with its rear iiange -or member 5 and plate 6 being preferably, remforcedby parallel ribs 9 extending from the outer end or mouth ofthe pocke and intersecting the bosses 8 on the plate 6.

The plate 6 alon its rear edge is preferably formed with a epending flange or lip 10 whlch is adapted to overlap and bear against the rear side of the beam a, While on the underside of the plate 6, preferably around and between the openings therethrough for the bolts 7, is preferably formed a projection 11 which is adapted to enga e ina correspond- .ingly shaped opening 1 1 owned-through the top Wall or equivalent part of the beam a, the flange or lip 10 and the projection 11 beeither'used together, or one without the in other as found most suitable in practice. Furthermore, the rear flange or member 5 of the pocket 'b is formed at the bottom, or

thereabou'talong the underside ofthe pocket b', with a verticall depending rib or lug 12 which in assemb ing the parts, eng es simultaneously with the engagement of t e flange or lip 10 and projection 11 reapedtivly, with'th'e rear side of and the opening 11' throughthe beam a, in a correspondin opening 12 formed through a flange 13 whic projects horizontally from the front side of the beam c preferably at the bottom, and is integral therewith as shown, whereby the pocket b is interlocked with, and :firmly secured by the bolts 5 and 7"to, the beam a, so

'that-in the operation of the coupler-shank 3 and consequent downward stress and tendency to loosen the bolts 5', thev pocket b is prevented from corresponding play and 'its normal proper position and bearing against the'front side of the beam a maintained at al1 times.

the beam a alone, in combination or not With the bottom rib or 'lug 12.

Fig. 4, shows a pocket b having its side walls adapted to receive housings 14 for the side centering springs 15 of the coupler shank 3, but otherwise is similar in construction to the pocket b before described.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a locomotive pilot-beam, of a cou ler draw-bar pocket having a rear mem er adapted to bear gainst the front side of the beam, a plate projecting rearwardly from the said member across, and a ainst -the top of the beam, a projection ont e underside of the plate adapted to enga e in a corresponding o emng in the beam iereat, and means for ixing the pocket to the beam, substantially as described.

2. The combination With a locomotive pilot-beam, of aeoupler draw-bar pocket having a rear member adapted to bear against the front side of th beam, a plate projecting rearwardly from the said member across, and against the top of the beam, and overlapping the rear side thereof, a e rojectin horizontally from the front of t e beam an having an opening therethrou h, a 111g dependent from the underside oft epocket and adapted to, engage in the said ope and means for xing the pocket to the beam, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a locomotive pilot-beam, of a coupler draw-barpocket having a rear member adapted to bear against the front side of the beam, a plate projecting rearwardly from the said member across, and against the top ofthe beam, a projection on the underside of the plate adapted to engage in a corresponding opening in the beam thereat, a 'flange projecting horizontally from the front lof the beamand havin an o eriin therethrough, allug dependent rom t e un erside of the pocket and adapted to engage in the saidy opening, and means for fixing the pocket to the beam, substantially as described..

CHARLES T. WESTLAKE. Witnesses: HAL C. BELLVILLE,

EDWARD W. FUnnELL. 

